


We ruin too easy

by glim



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Anxious Katsuki Yuuri, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Moving In Together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-28
Updated: 2017-01-28
Packaged: 2018-09-20 08:54:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9483752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glim/pseuds/glim
Summary: This is what he wants to give Viktor: a small, safe space, for only the two of them.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for an anon prompt on tumblr: "Viktor wants to offer Yuri to move in with him but hardly dares to but then Yuri somehow learns about Viktor's long years of loneliness and decides that those times are gone forever, no more loneliness for his Vitya." (Revised and edited from original tumblr post.)

For the first couple weeks that he's in Russia, Yuuri lives in a hotel room that Yakov books for him. 

"It means he likes you, he thinks you're a good skater," Viktor explains. "And this is a good hotel. The restaurant is nice." Viktor considers taking Yuuri out on a date there tonight, then quickly eschews the plan when Yuuri droops visibly. "Also, the room service." 

"He could just... say so." Yuuri looks lost in the room, and doesn't complain when Viktor takes up the task of unpacking for him. 

"He will. It took me years to earn a smile." Viktor stacks shirts and workout wear in the wardrobe and the few books Yuuri brought with him next to the bed. "You should sit and rest. Do you want me to order you something to eat?"

Yuuri shakes his head and pushes his glasses up to rub his eyes. He'll need a day to sleep off the jet lag, Viktor knows, and should probably have something to eat before he decides sleep is more important than food. 

Once he's unpacked most of Yuuri's things, Viktor sits next to him on the bed. He strokes Yuuri's hair and murmurs a few small, quiet words of reassurance when Yuuri gives him helpless, overwhelmed look. 

The room is chilly, small, and, in Viktor's opinion, not half good enough for Yuuri. But it's close to the rink, and close enough to Viktor's place that he won't have to hurry home. 

Not that he has any desire to do that. He's fed and walked Makkachin, and other than the dog, there's not much else there for him to miss. He stretches out on the bed with Yuuri when Yuuri starts yawning, and turns to face him. 

"You look sleepy." 

Yuuri smiles and nestles in closer to Viktor. "You don't." 

"Mmn. I'll sleep tonight, though." He kisses Yuuri on the lips, soft and quick, then presses a few more kisses to his face. 

This is nice. This quiet closeness, the way their legs tangle up together and the way Yuuri slips two fingers underneath Viktor's tee shirt and sweater. 

He wants it to be like this, always like this, the two of them, quiet, together, at the end of the day. Even this strange, small, cold hotel room feels warm and safe when they're this close on the narrow twin bed.

That's too much to want, too much to expect, and Viktor leans in to press another kiss to Yuuri's forehead. 

"Goodnight, sleepyhead. Text me when you wake up, I'll take you out for breakfast." 

"Yeah?" Yuuri's already half-asleep, but he grins at Viktor and pets his side. "You can stay..." 

"I know, but you need your space." Viktor nuzzles against Yuuri when he makes a tired sound, and waits until he can tell Yuuri's truly asleep before he leaves to go back to his place.

*

And that's the heart of it. 

Yuuri needs his space, and Viktor's not so selfish to believe he can keep Yuuri all to himself. Not when he's already shown the whole world what Yuuri is capable of. He should have a life of his own here in St. Petersburg. 

If they get married... no, _when_ , Viktor corrects his thoughts, doesn't let them wander in that dangerous direction, when that happens, then maybe they can find a place together.

"So," he says, the next morning after opening up the real estate section of the paper on the breakfast table, "do not trust Yakov to find you an apartment. Hotel rooms, yes. Apartments? You'll end up with..."

Yuuri wraps his hands around his mug of coffee and peers at Viktor through the steam. He looks more well-rested, but there's something impossibly endearing about the way the jet-lag blurs his senses. Viktor reaches across the table to rest his hand on Yuuri's arm, and slides fingers between Yuuri's warmer ones when he lowers his arm. 

"With... something you might not want." Something too big and empty, a place that feels hollow with only one person in it. "Here, we'll find somebody who speaks Japanese to help you." 

"Maybe English will be easier." Yuuri nudges one of his feet against Viktor's under the table when Viktor frowns. "It's okay. I can wait. I just need to get some things from the shops, shampoo and toothpaste. That stuff." 

Things that make a small room a home, Viktor knows. He's lived out of his suitcase and in impersonal hotel rooms before, too. He squeezes Yuuri's hand and takes a sip from his own cup of tea. 

"Okay. Maybe we can find you a blanket, too, so you have something of your own." 

Yuuri looks ready to say something, but he shakes his head and returns to his coffee. 

*

The first place isn't good enough. That's all Viktor says, it's not good enough. 

The second is too far away from the rink and from Viktor's. Viktor's polite enough to look at it with Yuuri, but he looks upset at the idea of Yuuri having to travel that much, so Yuuri shrugs and moves on.

The third makes Yuuri decide he might very well be claustrophobic after all. Which is a feat after a life spent in the small rooms of his parents' house and the cinder-block dormitory rooms in college. 

One is nice, but expensive, and Yuuri gives a last, longing look before he shakes his head and thanks the real estate agent. 

*

"You're lucky," Yurio says, lacing his practice skates up with a scowl. "At least you don't have to live with your coach." 

"I guess." Yuuri takes five seconds to finish a stretch, then glances at Viktor. 

Who holds the glance for a moment, then looks away, almost embarrassed. Almost guilty. Yuuri tries to chase the look, to get Viktor to glance back and explain, but Viktor's already on the ice. 

"Oh my god. It's not even like he wants that big, lonely place all to himself. It just makes him sad, can't you tell?" 

Yurio's on the ice, too, before Yuuri can ask what he means. 

*

"This is alright," Viktor says. "Bedroom, kitchen, sitting room that's, well, part of the bedroom and kitchen. Small, but a good place."

Yuuri glances around the studio apartment, feeling suddenly nervous. He's never lived alone, not like this, and the thought that he might be in a few short days makes him feel panicky. He gives Viktor a look, then takes Viktor's hand into his own and holds it a little more tightly than necessary. 

"Maybe... I can think about it? For a day? I'm just not sure..." His voice definitely sounds unsteady and he can almost feel the panic at the back of his throat. 

Viktor's hand tightens around Yuuri's in return and he gives Yuuri a little nod. "Absolutely. I'll give them my phone number, okay?" 

They talk to the landlord and agent for a few more minutes, and then Viktor talks to them in Russian, and Yuuri only feels himself relax when they stop on the sidewalk outside the building. The cold air feels good on his face and in his lungs, and Yuuri's eternally grateful for Viktor giving him a few moments of quiet. 

"Thanks for that. In there," he says. "I'm just not sure yet..." 

Viktor waits, then pulls Yuuri into a hug when Yuuri moves in closer to him. "Let's go back to my place? Makkachin misses you."

"Please?" Yuuri lets Viktor fuss with his scarf and coat, and keeps Viktor's hand in his own while they walk back home. 

When they get there, Yuuri looks at the apartment in a new way. It's always just seemed sort of Viktor-ish to him, done in cool, muted colors, modern furniture, books and blankets by the sofa, the bedroom done in warmer tones, dog toys scattered in both the bedroom and sitting room. The kitchen's always clean and neat, though Yuuri knows Viktor cooks for himself when he's home. 

But he can see it today, the strange emptiness that lingers in the corners, the way the sitting room doesn't have much in the way of personal items; how the kitchen is a little bit too clean. He's pretty sure Viktor's lived here most of his adult life, but there's not much in the way of ... well, Yuuri's not really sure. 

And it's not that Viktor doesn't own a lot of things. Good lord, he shipped half of his worldly good to Hatsetsu, Yuuri's seen half of the books and clothes and other possessions he has. He's seen them in his own home. 

That's the difference, he decides, and goes to put his arms around Viktor while Viktor makes them tea in the kitchen. He wraps both of his arms around Viktor from behind and presses a kiss to the back of his shoulder. 

Viktor's room in Yuuri's parents' house looked more like a home, even when he spent half of his time there in Yuuri's own room. 

Yuuri's heard a good half-dozen stories of Viktor's past boyfriends and girlfriends, and none of those stories seem to end here. 

_He's done it all on his own,_ Yuuri thinks. _Well, not anymore. ___

__

__"Hey..." Yuuri hugs Viktor, protective and tender all at once, and leans up to kiss Viktor on the lips when he turns in Yuuri's arms. "Let's go in the bedroom and watch tv and have our tea? Can we do that?"_ _

__"Of course, Yuuri. You know I like that, too."_ _

__"I do know. I've... I've really loved coming here, and doing that with you this week."_ _

__Thinking about the way Viktor usually has them cuddle in the bedroom to watch a film or tv show, how he creates a small, warm space for the two of them there, makes Yuuri's heart melt a bit._ _

__He leans up to kiss Viktor again, and then reaches up to brush his hair off his face and keeps on kissing him. As much as he doesn't want to consider moving into a new apartment in a strange city all on his own, he really doesn't want to imagine Viktor spending another night by himself either._ _

__"What was that for?"_ _

__"For you," Yuuri says. "I like being here with you, in your home."_ _

__This is what he wants to give Viktor: a small, safe space, for only the two of them. He wants to take care of Viktor that way, in a way that nobody else has, and in a way that nobody else will ever need to again._ _

__They end up in the bedroom that afternoon, drinking tea and talking, and then watching television on Viktor's laptop. Yuuri wraps himself up around Viktor as close as he can. He has his head on Viktor's chest, not really paying attention to the crime scene drama Viktor has on, and lets himself doze off for a few minutes._ _

__He stirs when he feels Viktor nuzzle into his hair and murmur something._ _

__"Hmm?" Yuuri glances up, then nestles back in when Viktor nudges his head down with a kiss._ _

__"Sleepyhead," Viktor calls him again, fond, and pauses. "I should take you back--"_ _

__"--no," Yuuri says, and turns to press a kiss to Viktor's chest. "I don't really want to go back to the hotel tonight. Or to any of the other places we looked at."_ _

__Viktor tenses a little next to Yuuri, and Yuuri can feel how his heart speeds up and how when he inhales, his breath comes a little short, and how his voice shakes when he says, "Do you want to stay here? With... with me?"_ _

__"Yes," Yuuri says, and he hugs Viktor very, very tight, waits until Viktor relaxes, until his breathing returns to it's normal, easy pace that matches up with Yuuri's as they curl around each other, and says again, "Yes... I'll bring my stuff home tomorrow morning."_ _

__*_ _

__Two weeks later, Yuuri comes to realize that the kitchen isn't always quite that clean, and that Viktor tends to leave an impressive collection of shoes and hoodies in the sitting room._ _

__And while he can do without the pile-up of dishes or having to kick aside shoes almost every time he walks in the door, he does find it a little endearing that Viktor can't remember he's going to get chilly in the evenings._ _

__It's not the dishes or the shoes or Viktor's tendency to put his clothes on in layers that does it, but one evening Yuuri sits down on the sofa with Makkachin and realizes it's gone, that odd, empty feeling is gone._ _

__"Are you glad I'm home?" he asks the dog, and ruffles Makkachin's ears. "Yeah, me, too."_ _

**Author's Note:**

> Title from The National's 'Apartment Story.'


End file.
